Sections of the Lakes Region continue to pick up the pieces after last Friday's storms that included a tornado.
One of the hardest hit areas was the Branson West Highlands subdivision according to Tom Martin with Stone County’s Office of Emergency Management.
“We had probably a half a mile of actual damage that we know of here,” Martin tells Ozarks First.
Martin said that multiple families have been displaced by the tornadoes. He has requested help from the Red Cross to provide shelters for these families. As of now, 22 different structures have been accounted as damaged by the severe weather.
“We will be reporting that, those totals to CEMA. Depending on the amount of damage that occurred across the state, it will be up to the governor if they wish to try to request some federal assistance,” said Martin.
Larraine Reese lives in the neighborhood that suffered the most damage. She said she was outside when the storm started.
“We were out here and we went in and opened up the door and it blew us in… right along with the debris outside with us,” said Reese. “I was just amazed. It could’ve taken our lives.”
A video feature on the storm damage in Branson West can be seen on the Ozarks First Website.
(Story by Jacob Blount and Christina Randall, Ozarks First)
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